http://www.ebay.com/itm/1799-MO-FM-MEXICO-8-REALES-NGC-VF-DETAILS-CHOPMARKED-GUARANTEED-AUTHENTIC-/130700299448?pt=US_World_Coins&hash=item1e6e584cb8&autorefresh=true#ht_500wt_1287 I really think this a cool piece of history, especially with all the chops on it!
I've always wanted one of those - I did not realize you could get one for so cheap. Nice coin! There's a lot of history there - thanks for the post.
If you can find this book, it may help, I've actually heard its name used a couple times, and heard its really informative, only problem is its OOP http://www.amazon.com/Chopmarks-F-M-Rose/dp/B0006EQDTM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338173716&sr=8-1 It appears to be available at the ANA library, so it may be worth the membership price just to borrow the book http://207.67.203.79/A94000staff/opac/search/SimpleSearch.asp ^^search "chopmarks" in the above
I like the coin and I think the price was fair for what the coin is. I do think NGC overgraded it a little. I don't believe the chopmarks were applied in San Francisco or New York Chinatown as the seller said. I think the coin probably circulated extensively in China. The problem with trying to "read" the chopmarks is many of the symbols can have multiple meanings. Sometimes meaning change depending on context, and some symbols don't really have a meaning but are just private symbol used by the merchant. "Oh that chop is used by Wan Su, if he says it's good that is good enough for me." But if you don't know Wan Su it doesn't mean anything to you and may just be a nonsense character.
Thanks for the info conder! What I still want to know, is when did China start chopping dollars, and when did they quit?
That is really neat and surprisingly affordable. I would have guess that it would have sold for at least $100.
